2nd Bombardment Group

WWI

Organized as 1st Day Bombardment Group in France on 10 Sep 1918. Equipped with DH-4 and Breguet aircraft and entered combat on 12 Sept. Attacked troop concentrations and communications to interfere with the enemy's movement of reinforcements and supplies to the front during the Allied offensive at St Mihiel. Also took part in the Meuse-Argonne campaign, attacking the enemy behind the line, and conducting bombing operations that helped to protect Allied ground forces by diverting German pursuit planes from the battle zone. Participated in one of the great bombing raids of the war when 353 Allied planes (including 200 bombers) under the command of William Mitchell struck a concentration point where German troops were preparing for a counterattack against the Allied offensive in the Meuse-Argonne area. Demobilized in France in Nov 1918, soon after the armistice.

Interwar Period

Reconstituted (in 1924) and consolidated with a group that was organized in the US as 1st Day Bombardment Group on 18 Sep 1919 and redesignated 2d Bombardment Group in 1921. Used LB-5A, B-10, B-17 (1937-), B-15 (1938-), and other aircraft during the 1920's and 1930's. Engaged in routine training; tested and experimented with equipment and tactics; participated in maneuvers; took part in Mitchell's demonstrations of the effectiveness of aerial bombardment on battleships; flew mercy missions to aid victims of a flood in Pennsylvania in 1936 and victims of an earthquake in Chile in 1939; and made goodwill flights to South America in the late 1930's. Redesignated 2d Bombardment Group (Heavy) in 1939. Trained with B-17's.

WWII

Served on antisubmarine duty for several months after the US entered World War II. Moved to North Africa, Mar-May 1943, and remained in the theater until after V-E Day, being assigned first to Twelfth and later (Dec 1943) to Fifteenth AF. Flew many support and interdictory missions, bombing such targets as marshalling yards, airdromes, troop concentrations, bridges, docks, and shipping. Participated in the defeat of Axis forces in Tunisia, Apr-May 1943; the reduction of Pantelleria and the preparations for the invasion of Sicily, May-Jul 1943; the invasion of Italy, Sep 1943; the drive toward Rome, Jan-Jun 1944; the invasion of Southern France, Aug 1944; and the campaigns against German forces in northern Italy, Jun 1944-May 1945.

Engaged primarily in long-range bombardment of strategic targets after Oct 1943, attacking oil refineries, aircraft factories, steel plants, and other objectives in Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Rumania, and Greece. En route to bomb a vital aircraft factory at Steyr on 24 Feb 1944, the group was greatly outnumbered by enemy interceptors, but it maintained its formation and bombed the target, receiving a DUC for the performance. On the following day, while on a mission to attack aircraft factories at Regensburg, it met similar opposition equally well and was awarded a second DUC. Served as part of the occupation force in Italy after V-E Day. Inactivated in Italy on 28 Feb 1946.

Post WWII

Redesignated 2d Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). Activated in the US on 1 Jul 1947. Assigned to Strategic Air Command and equipped with B-29's. Redesignated 2d Bombardment Group (Medium) in May 1948. Converted to B-50's early in 1950. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952.

Squadrons

11th: 1918; 1919-1927
20th: 1918; 1919-1946; 1947-1952.
49th (formerly 166th): 1918; 1919-1946; 1947-1952.
96th: 1918; 1919-1946; 1947-1952
429th: 1942-1946

Stations

Commanders

Unkn, Sep-Nov 1918. Unkn, Sep 1919-May 1921; Maj Thomas J Hanley Jr, May-Sep 1921; Maj Lewis H Brereton, Jun 1925; Maj Hugh Knerr, Jul 1927-Sep 1930; Capt Eugene L Eubank, 26 Dec 1933; Maj Willis H Hale, 1 Jul 1934; Lt Col Charles B Oldfield, 1935; Lt Col Robert C Olds, c. 1937-unkn; Lt Col Darr H Alkire, 6 Jan 1942; Col Dale O Smith, c. Sep 1942; Col Ford J Lauer, 29 Oct 1942; Lt Col Joseph A Thomas, 20 Apr 1943; Col Herbert E Rice, 5 Sep 1943; Col John D Ryan, 8 Jul 1944; Col Paul T Cullen, 25 Sep 1944; Col Robert K Martin, 23 May 1945-20 Feb 1946. Unkn, Jul-Sep 1947; Col William E Eubank Jr, 3 Aug 1948; Col James B Knapp, Jan 1950; Col Earl R Tash, Jan 1951; Brig Gen Frederic E Glantzberg, 10 Feb 1951; Col John M Reynolds, c. 14 Feb-16 Jun 1952.

Campaigns

World War I: St Mihiel; Lorraine; Meuse-Argonne.

World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley.

Decorations

Distinguished Unit Citations: Steyr, Austria, 24 Feb 1944; Germany, 25 Feb 1944.

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986

Museum Collection     Enoch Broyles     Harold K Cox     Omar J Beardsley Servicemen of the 2nd Bombardment Group  ABBOTT, FRANCIS SSGT  ABOULAFIA, SAMUEL 2LT  AGNITTI, JOHN TSGT  ALBERTSON, OWEN SSGT  ALEXANDER, ADOLANKE SSGT  ALLEN, JEFF SSGT  ALLEY, CLEMENT SSGT  ALTMORE, ROBERT SSGT  ALUMBAUGH, WILLIAM SSGT  ANDERSON, DONALD 1LT  ANDERSON, DWAIN TSGT  ANDERSON, STANLEY 1LT  ANDRZEJEWSKI, MATTHEW TSGT  ANGEL, IRVING SGT  ANGUS, KENNETH SSGT  APPLEGATE, EUGENE SSGT  ATKINS, JOHN 1LT  AURICH, WILLIAM TSGT  BACHE, LUVERNE SSGT  BACK, DORSEY SSGT  BACKMAN, IVAN SSGT  BANGERTER, JOHN 2LT  BARNHOLTZ, RAY F/O  BARRICKMAN, FLOYD SSGT  BARRY, FRANCIS 2LT  BASH, CHARLES CPL  BAUDER, SIDNEY SSGT  BEATON, ZANE CPL  BENEDICK, THOMAS CPL  BENNETT, WILBUR CPL  BERG, MORTIMER SSGT  BERRES, RUFUS 2LT  BERRYHILL, HENRY 2LT  BESSESEN, JUNIOR TSGT  BIGA, LEO SSGT  BIRT, WILLISTON TSGT  BLACK, JAMES TSGT  BLAIR, ROBERT SSGT  BLALOCK, WILLIAM CPL  BLANCHARD, FRANK SGT  BLANTON, MARVIN 1LT  BODLE, ORAN CPL  BOHANNAN, HERBERT 2LT  BOLIN, WILLIAM SSGT  BOOMS, ROBERT 2LT  BOONE, JACKSON CPL  BOONE, JOHN TSGT  BOONE, WARREN 2LT  BOOTZ, HAROLD 1LT  BOOXBAUM, DONALD 2LT  BOSSHART, JOHN SSGT  BOSTICK, JOSEPH TSGT  BOWMAN, ISAAC F/O  BOYD, BAILEY SSGT  BOYER, CLARENCE SSGT  BRADLE, JOSEPH 2LT  BRADLEY, WILLIAM 2LT  BRANSKY, PRESTON TSGT  BRAZELTON, JAMES SSGT  BREENAN, EDWARD SSGT  BREWER, JACK TSGT  BRICE, FLORNEY 2LT  BRISENO, JESUS SSGT  BRODSKO, ALBERT SGT  BROWER, LLOYD 1LT  BROWN, DAVID TSGT  BROWN, MYRON CPL  BROWN, WARREN TSGT  BRUEMMER, JOSEPH 2LT  BUCKWITZ, EDWIN SSGT  BUJOLD, JOHN 2LT  BUMGARDNER, VERNAL SSGT  BURNS, ROBERT SSGT  CAINES, ROBERT SSGT  CAMPBELL, BANKS 1LT  CAMPBELL, PATT TSGT  CAQUETTE, ROGER TSGT  CETINICH, JOHN TSGT  CHAMBERS, RALPH 1LT  CHAPMAN, DONALD TSGT  CHIAVETTA, RAYMOND 2LT  CHIMELWSKI, JOSEF MSGT  CLAPSDLLE, DON CPL  CLARK, HOMER SSGT  CLARK, ROBERT 2LT  COATES, RUFUS CPL  COLEMAN, WILLIAM CPL  COLLINS, THEODORE SSGT  COLLIS, ANGELO TSGT  CONLEY, CLARENCE 1LT  CONOLLY, DONALD SGT  COONES, HERMAN TSGT  CORCORAN, EDWARD SSGT  CORKILL, EARL SSGT  COTTER, WILLIAM 2LT  COUCHMAN, PAUL SSGT  CRAWFORD, BRUCE 2LT  CRAWLEY, DAVID TSGT  CUMMING, BRUCE SSGT  DAHM, RAYMOND SSGT  D'ALPERO, DAVID SSGT  D'AMICO, JOSEPH TSGT  DAVIDSON, RALPH TSGT  DAVIS, DONALD SSGT  DAVIS, PHILIP 2LT  DAVIS, WILLIAM SSGT  DE BLASIO, ERNEST SGT  DE LASHMUTT, WILLIAM SSGT  DECLERCQ, OMAR 1LT  DEHORITY, JAMES 1LT  DEMAS, NICK 1LT  DETTMANN, HARRY 2LT  DEVITO, JOSEPH SSGT  DIMSEY, CALVIN SSGT  DINING, JAMES SSGT  DODDRIDGE, BENJAMIN 1LT  DOLACK, RICHARD 2LT  DONAHUE, BERNARD 2LT  DONAHUE, TIMOTHY TSGT  DOOLEY, PAUL 2LT  DUGGAN, LEO 1LT  DUNNE, EDWARD SSGT  DYKES, DAVID SSGT  EDELEN, RICHARD 2LT  EIKELBERGER, LLOYD F/O  ELIERBUSCH, DONALD 2LT  ELLSWORTH, JOHN 2LT  EMSLIE, WILLIAM CPL  ESHELMAN, JOHN 2LT  FARWELL, PAT 1LT  FELLMAN, EARL SSGT  FERA, ALFRED SSGT  FICHTNER, HARRY SSGT  FINLEY, WILLIAM SSGT  FINN, CHARLES CPT  FITZPATRICK, THOMAS CPL  FLINT, LEE SSGT  FLOWERS, ALFRED SSGT  FORESBURG, LENHARD SSGT  FORST, RICHARD TSGT  FREESE, RUSSELL CPL  FURLONG, FRANCIS SSGT  FURNEY, DELBERT 1LT  GANOE, WARREN TSGT  GATES, EDWARD 2LT  GENNA, JACK SSGT  GENUNG, NELSON TSGT  GERRITY, JAMES CPL  GIESCHE, THORMAN 2LT  GILLIS, NORMAN SSGT  GILLMAN, RAYMOND SSGT  GIODANO, EROARDO SSGT  GLADE, WILLIAM SSGT  GLUCK, HOWARD 1LT  GOOD, PHILIP 1LT  GOODING, CLAIR CPL  GOODRICH, AEDELL SSGT  GOODWYN, JAMES 1LT  GORSKI, THOMAS SSGT  GOSSELIN, FRANK 1LT  GOSSEN, JOSEPH SSGT  GOZIKER, MARTIN TSGT  GRADY, JAMES CPT  GRAHAM, CHARLES SSGT  GREINER, RICHARD SSGT  GRIBBLE, WILIAM CPL  GROOMS, WLATER SSGT  GROSS, JOSEPH TSGT  GROSSKLAUS, ALBERT 2LT  GRUSZEWSKI, EDWARD TSGT  GUTTRY, NATHAN SSGT  HALL, JAMES SSGT  HAMMOND, ALDEN 1LT  HANLEY, JOHN 2LT  HANUZASKI, CARL SSGT  HARRINGTON, ROBERT 1LT  HARRIS, JAMES SSGT  HARRIS, WILLIAM TSGT  HARTMAN, ROBERT SSGT  HAUSER, GEORGE SSGT  HAUSWIRTH, RICHARD SSGT  HEAD, MIDDLETON 2LT  HEINE, RAYMOND CPL  HEITSENRETHER, JOHN CPL  HEITZ, GEORGE 2LT  HENSLEY, WILLIAM SSGT  HEWITT, ROBERT 2LT  HICKEY, JOHN 1LT  HIGH, OTTICE 2LT  HILL, WILLIAM CPL  HILLYER, RICHARD 2LT  HOLLINGER, HARRY SSGT  HOLLISTER, CURTIS CPL  HORN, GEORGE SSGT  HUDSON, JOHN 2LT  HUGGINS, PHARES SSGT  HUGHES, LEONARD CPL  HUTTON, LOUIS SSGT  IMBORNONE, VINCENT 1LT  JACOBS, HERBERT SSGT  JACOBSON, HERBERT 2LT  JANAS, FELIX SSGT  JAQUESS, CHARLIE TSGT  JOHNSON, JAMES 2LT  JOHNSON, LAVERNE 2LT  JOHNSON, MAURICE TSGT  JOHNSON, VERNON CPL  JONES, DONALD 2LT  JONES, LAWRENCE 2LT  JONES, ORVIN TSGT  JOST, GEORGE SSGT  KAISER, CHESTER SSGT  KAISER, JOHN 2LT  KAPFHAMER, ROBERT 2LT  KELLER, FRANKLIN SSGT  KELLEY, ROLLAND 2LT  KELLY, ROBERT SSGT  KENNELLY, THOMAS 2LT  KENNEY, CLAUDE TSGT  KEPPER, CARL SSGT  KERRIGAN, CHARLES 2LT  KING, THOMAS SGT  KINGSBURY, JAMES TSGT  KIRK, JAMES CPL  KIRKENDALL, LOWELL TSGT  KIRTS, RUSSELL TSGT  KIST, CHARLES TSGT  KLOV, DANIEL CPL  KNOX, CLINTON SSGT  KOEPP, CYRIL 2LT  KOHL, HOWARD 1LT  KOHLER, PETER CPL  KONTRA, WILLIAM CPL  KOPKE, WILLIAM CPL  KOTEL, SOLOMON TSGT  KOWALSKI, RAYMOND SSGT  KOZINA, FRANK CPL  KRATZ, LE ROY SSGT  LAATSCH?, EDWARD TSGT  LAKE, RICHARD SSGT  LALLY, JAMES SSGT  LAMBKA, RUSSELL 1LT  LANGHOLFF, MARVIN TSGT  LASKOWSKI, JOSEPH SSGT  LAWHORNE, ROBERT 2LT  LAWSON, EMIL 2LT  LAZARUS, HERBERT 2LT  LE BRUN, GEORGE SGT  LECHNER, FLOYD SSGT  LEET, WARREN 1LT  LEET, WILLIAM CPT  LENTZ, EDWARD SSGT  LESHER, WAYNE 1LT  LEWIS, IRVING 2LT  LINDABERRY, HAROLD SGT  LIPPERT, FRANCIS 2LT  LIVELY, THOMAS SSGT  LOGAN, RICHARD TSGT  LOLLAR, CHESTER SSGT  LOOF, MARVIN TSGT  LOOMIS, KINGMAN SSGT  LOUGHMAN, GERALD TSGT  LOWE, JAMES CPL  LUCA, JOHN TSGT  LUND, IVAN 2LT  LYM, RAYMOND SSGT  LYNN, LEO SSGT  LYON, EDGAR SSGT  MAC MILLAN, JOSEPH SSGT  MALFI, MICHAEL SSGT  MARDJETKO, FRANK 2LT  MARGOT, PAT 1LT  MARKEY, KERAN SSGT  MARSH, FREDERICK 1LT  MARTELL, RICHARD 1LT  MARTIN, PEARL 2LT  MATTERA, PASQUADE SSGT  MAYNES, JOHN SSGT  MAYNEZ, JOSE PVT  MC CLEMENT, JOHN SSGT  MC CLUSKEY, GEORGE TSGT  MC COLLUM, CECIL CPL  MC COMISH, JACK SSGT  MC CORMICK, WILLIAM 1LT  MC CULLOCH, WILLIAM 1LT  MC DONALD, PAUL SSGT  MC DUFFIE, ROBERT 2LT  MC GINLEY, GENE SSGT  MC KANE, WARREN TSGT  MC MURTRY, JOHN SSGT  MCCILVAINE, STEPHEN 2LT  MCSHERRY, MAX 1LT  MERWIN, OWEN 2LT  METZ, VICTOR 2LT  MICHAELIS, FRANCIS 2LT  MICHALYSHIN, NICHOLAS TSGT  MIKITA, JOHN SSGT  MILLER, JAMES TSGT  MILLER, NORRIS SSGT  MILLS, KENNETH 1LT  MIRABITO, THOMAS 1LT  MIROWSKI, EDWARD 2LT  MISIC, WILLIAM 1LT  MITCHELL, WILLIAM SSGT  MOREHOUSE, MALCOLM 2LT  MORRIS, WILLIAM SSGT  MORROW, WILLIAM 2LT  MOSER, LLOYD 2LT  MULLIGAN, JOHN TSGT  MURNANE, THOMAS PVT  MURPHY, JAY 2LT  MURPHY, ROBERT TSGT  MYERS, WILLIAM 1LT  NASON, WILLIAM CPL  NEBBIA, JOSEPH 1LT  NEWBERT, ROBERT TSGT  NICHOLLS, JOSEPH TSGT  NICHOLS, CHARLES SSGT  NICKERSON, DONALD SGT  NIXON, DALE 1LT  NORCROSS, KENNETH 1LT  NORTHCRAFT, MILLARD TSGT  NORTON, BERT F/O  NOVAK, ALFRED SSGT  NUNLEY, CECIL CPL  NUSSBAUM, RALPH SSGT  O'HERN, JAMES CPT  OLINGHOUSE, ORVILLE 1LT  OLSON, ARTHUR 2LT  OSTROWSKI, MITCHELL 2LT  PAGACZ, JOE SGT  PAJAK, JOHN SSGT  PANKRATZ, ANTHONY SSGT  PARKS, ERVIN TSGT  PATTERSON, CLAUDE SSGT  PATTON, HAROLD TSGT  PAVLISKO, JOHN SSGT  PAXSON, JAMES CPL  PEARSON, CHARLES CPL  PERAZZELLI, MICHAEL CPL  PETTY, CLEO SSGT  PEWITT, JAMES SSGT  PIERARD, ALBERT 2LT  PILCHER, ROBERT 2LT  PINE, HAROLD 2LT  PINKOWSKI, DAVID TSGT  PLENINGER, EDWARD F/O  POORMAN, CALVIN SSGT  POWELL, DONALD F/O  POWERS, ROBERT SSGT  PRICE, OWEN SSGT  PRICE, THOMAS TSGT  PROSTIC, BENJAMIN SGT  QUINON, JOSEPH TSGT  RADLAUER, RAYMOND TSGT  RADTKE, RICHARD 2LT  RAMEY, JAMES 2LT  RANDOLPH, JOE SSGT  REARDON, JOHN MAJ  REED, JOHN 1LT  REPLOGLE, ELLIS SSGT  REYNOLDS, HENRY 1LT  RICHARDSON, ALVAN MSGT  RIGBY, CHARLES 1LT  ROBERTS, LEONARD TSGT  ROCKENMACHER, JOSEPH 2LT  ROLL, MICHAEL SSGT  ROTHBLATT, ISAAC SSGT  ROTHSTEIN, SHELDON F/O  RUHLIN, EARL 1LT  RUSSILLO, HENRY SGT  RYEL, LLOYD CPL  SAENZ, FRANK 2LT  SALLEE, CHESTER SSGT  SARGENT, FAY SSGT  SCARAMUZZO, JAMES SSGT  SCHANKE, WILLIAM 1LT  SCHARZLOSE, THOMAS SSGT  SCHLAU, MARTIN 2LT  SCHULTZ, WILIAM SSGT  SEARS, WILLIS SSGT  SEBOLD, RONALD CPL  SEFFENS, CLARENCE CPL  SEIBERT, PAUL SSGT  SENIOR, FRANK 2LT  SEPOLIO, BERNARD CPL  SHAFFER, GERALD SSGT  SHANNON, THEODORE 2LT  SHERMAN, BEN SSGT  SHERWOOD, ROBERT TSGT  SHIMKO, GEORGE SGT  SHORTEN, ARTHUR SSGT  SHROUT, JAMES SGT  SIEREVELD, ADRIAN 1LT  SILVER, MILTON CPL  SIMON, DONALD TSGT  SLABAUGH, NORRIS 1LT  SMITH, FRANK TSGT  SMITH, JACK 1LT  SMITH, JACK 1LT  SMITHBERG, MORRIS F/O  SNURE, CHARLES 1LT  SOKOL, FRANK 2LT  STANTON, GORDON 2LT  STARINSKY, ANDREW 2LT  STEGER, JOHN 1LT  STELLA, LEO 2LT  STONE, WALTER 2LT  STOVITZ, AARON 2LT  STRAH, GEORGE SGT  STRUTT, HAROLD SSGT  STUART, GEORGE CPT  STUART, PAUL SSGT  SUTHERLAND, FRANCIS SSGT  SWANSON, LELAND F/O  SWIFT, JOSEPH 1LT  SWIRSKY, MARK TSGT  TAMERIN, ARNOLD CPL  TAPPAN, ROBERT 2LT  TAYLOR, HERBERT TSGT  TEBO, WILBUR 1LT  TEED, FREDERICK 1LT  TERRILL, NEWELL 2LT  TEVIS, FAHREN TSGT  THEMER, GROVER SGT  THORNBERRY, IVAN CPL  TRAYNOR, JAMES CPL  TROY, EDWARD TSGT  TUDOR, WOODIE TSGT  TURKNETT, JUNIOR SSGT  VAN NORT, JOHN SSGT  VENEZIANO, CARLO SSGT  VERFURTH, GENE TSGT  VIGNOVICH, BARNEY TSGT  VOLZ, TIMOTHY SSGT  VOSS, GERALD TSGT  VRABLIK, GEORGE 2LT  WADE, EDWIN TSGT  WALADKEWICS, JOSEPH SSGT  WALDREP, CARL 1LT  WALKER, ALFRED TSGT  WARNER, LEMAN TSGT  WEAMER, GEORGE SSGT  WEBER, JOSEPH 2LT  WEEKES, ARIEL 1LT  WEIMAN, WESLEY 2LT  WEINER, CHARLES 1LT  WENDT, HERBERT SSGT  WHITING, RUSSELL SSGT  WILIMAN?, JAMES CPL  WILKUSKI, EDWARD 1LT  WILLETT, BERNARD TSGT  WILLIAMS, DONALD CPL  WILLIAMS, WALTER SSGT  WILLIAMSON, JOHN SSGT  WISEMAN, NATHAN SSGT  WISH, MILTON SSGT  WITTLINGER, WILLIAM 1LT  WOODBURN, NORMAN SSGT  WOODROW, ABBOTT 1LT  WORK, WILLIAM 2LT  WYATT, FRANKLIN 1LT  YOUNG, ROBERT 1LT  ZEHNER, RAYMOND 1LT